Vegeta Dreams
by Raven Rosethorn
Summary: When Trunks dies, Vegeta has to reconcile Trunks' tortured soul.


VEGETA"S DAYDREAM by RAVEN ROSETHORN  
  
  
  
As the afternoon reached its peak, a heavy thunderstorm rolled in. It crashed ostentatiously before the onslaught of rain began. It appeared as though it were raining rivers.  
  
Vegeta was moping around and wishing he had someone to fight with or something to fight about for that matter. So, he did the only other thing he could think of; he took a nap.  
  
When he fell asleep, he was not aware that he was sleeping.(weirdo) He found himself on a path of cobblestone and gravel. There were sparse trees here or there, and the sky was deep and heavily gray. As he walked, he heard faintly in the distance hoofbeats. Growling to himself a little, he kept walking. Over the rise in the hill he was apparently climbing, he saw an oddly colored horse. Right there he stopped and waited to see what was going to happen.  
  
The horse was dark lavender in color and had a sea green mane and tail. The rider wore light blue metal armor and had a bright pink plume on their helmet.  
  
They carried a pink and fuchsia shield with roses on it.  
  
The royal cover on the horse was red and black. The rider stopped in front of Vegeta, lance drawn. "Are you Prince Vegeta?" asked a somewhat familiar voice.  
  
He looked at the unknown rider. "What if I am?" he growled in challenge. The rider lowered their lance. " The lord wishes to ask you a question. Will you come to the castle or not?" Crossing his arms in mock disapproval, he grunted,"I suppose. Since I've nothing better to do anyway." The rider nodded and turned to the castle.  
  
  
  
The castle ahead was made of some black luminescent stone that appeared to glow in its own black light. As they reached the drawbridge, it came down. Abruptly, the horse was nowhere in sight. They were walking down a corridor that seemed vaguely familiar in a strange and sinister way. He had to restrain himself from gasping when they reached the throne room.  
  
It was as if a thick, dark mist had been forever cast into this room. The throne was bethorned and made of a mixture of wood and steel that was all black. The thorns were grotesque and twisted at bizarre intertwining places.  
  
The darkness was thickest around the shadows of the throne. The knight knelt before this throne of morbid regality.  
  
  
  
" Rise my knight and friend. Thank you for finding him."  
  
The knight rose and removed his helmet. " No problem. Anything for my sons' friend. That was easy, he was right where you said he would be." Vegeta's eyes widened and he clenched his fists. It was Goku. "Kakorrot! What the hell is going on here?" Goku looked at him in surprise, but said nothing.  
  
There was a brushing movement in the shadow of the gnarled throne. "Hold your temper!" cried a voice now distinguishably male. Taken aback at being given orders by a stranger, he took a step backward and looked at Goku. "Are you going to tell me or is he?" he asked with a little more civility. Goku tilted his head. " Uh, I guess he will. Gee, Vegeta, you don't have to get all mad and moody about it." Grunting in reply, he waited for this "lord" to say something more.  
  
From the shadows, the male spoke. "It has been a long time since I have seen you so humble. What I have to say will be somewhat of length. Goku, would you walk to the table over there and bring me the tray?" he asked. Goku went to the twisted standing object that had a flat top, but grisly looking legs, but was unassailably a table. He picked up a silver tray on which were three goblets that matched the room. He handed the tray to the male in the shadows. "Here you go." One of the goblets was pulled into the shadows. "Take one, Vegeta." the shadow voice invited. Reluctantly, he took one, fearful of what it could contain. However, he was more concerned with what would happen if he didn't take one.  
  
As Vegeta gazed into the cup wondering what that red stuff really was, the shadow voice began speaking to him. "Many years have passed since you and I have exchanged words. The last time... well I'll get to that later. Never when we were in such close speaking distance have you ever addressed me with such respect, it is a pity that it had to wait until now, but better late than never. You see, ever since I can remember, you were not so kind to me, your words were harsh and your actions harsher still. It is your undying pride that makes you the way you are; angry, bitter and unloving. As such you should go unloved since you cannot love. Or, I thought you couldn't." The one in the shadows paused.  
  
Vegeta was almost certain he could place that voice and knew of what they were talking, but held his tongue.  
  
"It is your fault that we are here! If you had not been so selfish, perhaps we would have lived. But no, your damned saiyan pride got the better of you and because of that we are dead! What do you say to that? What do you have to say in your defense? What is your excuse?!" The voice in the shadows cried in a rage. Vegeta chose his word carefully. "I know it was and is my fault. What you've said is true, my pride is the problem, but it is also my strength. Though it was not my intention to kill you, I suppose I did nonetheless. I do not ask that you forgive me, because I know it is in your instinct to hold this grudge and even hate me, but I do ask that you understand that I am truly sorry for having slighted you in life. Still, you made it clear and I admit, there is no excuse."  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Goku watching him intently. The other saiyan was no doubt surprised to hear Vegeta apologizing. The person in the shadows made some odd sounding movements. "Well, at least for once you admit you are at fault, but I have a little something I'd like you to see. I think you'll find this very...interesting." Vegeta heard footsteps echo a few paces behind the throne, as if the person had gone into another room. The footsteps came back and the saiyan prince heard the drag of chains. He wondered what trick had been played upon him. "I think you might want to say hello to her, she cried for you for awhile, that is until she lost the ability to speak." He laughed a callous laugh and Vegeta heard him shove whoever this female was. When he saw her, he couldn't believe what he saw.  
  
  
  
"Tiru," he cried as she fell out of the shadows and he caught her, "What did you do to her!? Why is she in chains?" he demanded. She was awake, but gagged and she wore bruises and welts of unknown origins. She had withheld tears and she wouldn't look at him. He knew that she felt ashamed of herself for crying, a habit she had had to break herself of so she could spar with him. He put a hand under her chin turning her gaze up from the floor. "Let me see those lovely eyes of yours, don't cry. "He smiled weakly attempting console his only friend. She blinked her eyes and looked nervously back at the shadows. Removing the gag from her mouth, he pulled her close and put an arm around her. " You sonofabitch! I don't care what you want from me, but you will not harm Tiru and now I am positive of your identity. You are jealous, only an insanely jealous psychopath would do this to her, unless you're deaf and didn't hear her screams. After this, do you dare call yourself my son!?"  
  
  
  
All this time Goku remained silent and simply observed the conversation. This was one battle Vegeta would have to win on his own. "Your son am I? Hmm, you never seemed to care until now, father. I was never good enough for you, I could never make you proud of me! No matter what I did, I was nothing compared to the saiyan prince, Vegeta! I thought that day when I went with Goten to help you out that I'd finally make you proud, make you notice I was alive! Instead, you killed me! I now ask you, how dare you call yourself my father?" raged the young man's spirit from the shadows. Vegeta replied just as sharply," You're so hard headed, just like your mother! You couldn't see it, but I was proud of you, my son. I may not have said so, but that doesn't mean I didn't care. Why would I have worked you so hard unless I cared about you? Would I waste my time if I didn't? I thought you were smart enough to figure that out." An angered roar rose from the shadows. "What about her! Explain the issue of your precious Tiru! Why do you treat her as if she were almost a daughter?! Why didn't I ever get attention like that? You love her! For that I must hate her because she has what I was never privileged to have in life, do you want me to hate her? I do and I hate myself for it. I hate it here, dad, I want to leave here and be with mom at least. You are the key, our key to freedom. But you're so stubborn that I doubt you care, it killed me inside when I saw how angry you got about her just now. It breaks my heart, mother had to die because of you, I died, my two best friends died. Why hasn't she? "  
  
  
  
**I am a HUGE  
  
Vegeta fan, female of course, and I love his character, so if you dislike this story because he's in it, my condolences. **  
  
  
  
Goku, out of nowhere, spoke up,"It's not her fault, Trunks. She can't help that your dad loves her. It's okay to be mad at your father, but Tiru didn't do anything to you and look what you've done to her. I bet if you asked her, she'd tell you she didn't hate you. She wouldn't have done anything to you and you could've killed her. For what? Revenge? Jealousy? No, Trunks, this isn't who you are, I think know why. It hurts you to see him care, seeing him living with his guilt but caring. Come out of the dark, Trunks."  
  
Vegeta couldn't believe what had just happened and didn't know whether to thank Goku or yell at him. He looked up at Tiru,(she's taller, in case anyone cares) she was looking at Goku. Her lips were trembling as if she was about to cry, but instead, she spoke. " He's right about my not hating you, Trunks. I don't hold a grudge. I would never have done to you what you did, but everyone has their reasons. Let me tell you something though, I come from a planet called Jaga. Do you know why I am here? I had to come here or die because they made me. The jagens made the most technologically advanced organic weapon of mass destruction they could and when I did what they asked me, do you know what they wanted to do to me? Yeah, that's right, they were going to kill me, supposedly I was unstable and therefore a threat to the population. Luckily, my creators cared enough about me to get me the hell away from there. Still, I wouldn't ever have dreamed of doing half of what you did to me to them. I don't blame them. That the difference between us, Trunks, you blame your father for leaving you and --" she began to cough and blood exited her mouth, " and, well any way I wish you could consider forgiving him if that isn't too much."  
  
Vegeta quieted her gently and turned back to his son. He wanted to help him, it was obvious that his soul and the souls of Goku's sons wouldn't be at rest until he had reconciled with Trunks. He looked at Goku, for someone he'd always called a clown, he looked pretty serious. "Yes, my son, come where I can see you. Cowards are the only people who have to hide from their mistakes." He heard steps coming toward him. It was his son, except that he had black hair and eyes now. "Now you see me, father. It's your move." he said with an air of anxious anticipation. His eyes were dull and so was his hair. Vegeta hardly recognized his son, black hair and dark eyes didn't flatter him.  
  
"What has happened to you? Has this darkness crept its way into your soul? You're stronger than that. I'll tell you a little secret, saiyan pride has also made you bitter and that is part of our problem. You won't let go." He waited to see what his son would say. He wanted to end this here for his son's sake as well as his own.  
  
The young saiyan's face contorted into a mixture of rage and confusion. He clenched his fists and looked at his father with tears in his eyes. "I won't let go?! Whose memories brought our souls here? Fuck saiyan pride! The fact of the matter is that I'm stuck here and I want to leave. The only way any of us is going anywhere from here is if you fix it!" he yelled belligerently. He was clearly agitated and had started to glow with a bizarre purplish-black aura that Goku gave an unwelcoming gaze to, as if her knew what was about to transpire.  
  
Vegeta still had no idea that he was asleep, perhaps if he had known things would've been easier. In any case, he still had no idea where here was and apparently he was supposed to know. This was an issue that Vegeta knew he was going to have trouble dealing with. For the moment he remained silent and gave he and his son time to reflect on the words just said. He looked at the girl on his shoulder, she had an unfamiliar glint in her eye and looked him directly in the eye. Her stare drew his momentary full attention. That, of course, was what she had wanted.  
  
She hadn't known that Trunks was able to use the Void to draw her here until he had done so. When she had arrived, she found herself alone in the Void. After some time, she resurrounded herself with the "windows" that showed memories as they appeared in one's mind. Most of them had been of Vegeta and how she viewed him. She loved him, she really couldn't help it. After all, her own people built her and threw her out, so she never had family or friends. How could she not the love the only person who had ever been close to her?  
  
Once Trunks had seen image after image of Tiru with Vegeta, he practically went insane. He ambushed her out of nowhere and dragged her to his self-made castle fortress to be tortured. Gohan and Goten had drawn the line there and begged the Void to contact their father and bring him there. It had understood their urgency and did so out of pity and concern for Tiru.  
  
Upon Goku's entrance into the Void, Trunks had ceased beating Tiru to greet the only adult saiyan he liked.(he didn't consider Gohan an adult) Goku tried in vain to soften Trunks' heart to Tiru. But, the hot-blooded young saiyan wouldn't have it, he preferred revenge. Goku was unable to do anything for Tiru because Trunks had hidden her from everyone. So, the only thing Goku could do was wait around for Vegeta to finally show up.  
  
Tiru had only talked to Goku briefly every once in awhile when Trunks wasn't viciously guarding her, keeping her in total isolation, yet she thought very high of him and hoped she would be able one day to talk with him under less hostile terms. She was literally clinging to Vegeta for dear life. She feared that if she loosened her grip, that somehow Trunks would be able to torture her more. She was going to be glued to his side, so to speak, for quite awhile after this. As long as she was with him, she knew nothing too horrible would dare take place for fear of pissing Vegeta off. When he had put his arm around her and even forgave her for her tears, she had been so happy that she clung even harder and she had loved him even more.(is that even possible? she loves him as much as I do... no, wait. I wanna marry him, she's just his adopted daughter...^_^) Out loud so that only he would hear, she said, "We're in the Void, Vegeta.  
  
You aren't awake, but you are really here. I think maybe if you find out the exact thing Trunks wants he'll be able to rest. Then, I'll be able to leave with you." she smiled wanly and added in a whisper that was only meant for him,"Thank you for your love, my prince, Vegeta." Whereof which, she laid her head down and closed her eyes to rest.  
  
Vegeta was uncertain of just how he should react to such a comment, but she had closed here eyes signifying that he should talk to Trunks. He cast a deliberate gaze at his son. The boy met his father's gaze and matched its severity. The former saiyan elite spoke first. "As your father, I must look down on your beating of a child--"  
  
Trunks had a typical saiyan outburst, "Child!? Father, she's older than I was in life! How can you say she's a child?" Vegeta shot a small blast his son's way, but missed. "She told you where she came from, however, she didn't tell you how long ago it was, did she?" he paused dramatically, "One of her jagen years is half of one Earth year. This happened three and a half jagen years ago, or in our terms, five years. She is a child. Did you not hear her when she said she was made? The jagen people made her the age she is and undying so she could clean up after them. That makes here almost six now. When you were six, I was hard, yes, but I didn't shackle you so you couldn't fight back." He gave his son an even and stern look, challenging him to retort. Luckily, he did not.  
  
Vegeta reassumed a nonagressive stance. "Now, what is it exactly you want? What will give you peace, my son?" He hoped his son didn't have his mother's evasive manners as well, at least not in death anyway. The once periwinkle haired saiyan looked at his father confusedly. He simply stared for a moment and then realized that Vegeta was serious and was waiting for him to answer.  
  
Unclenching his fists and taking a nonagressive stance, he said, "I want what I felt deprived of in life. I want you to tell me-- I want you to... apologize for bringing me here, causing my soul's unrest. I want the love you give Tiru." The look on his face told on his feelings. He obviously thought he wouldn't get what he wanted, a rather tortured look really. Vegeta's face was graced by a warm smile directed at his son.  
  
"That's all, is it? Well, my son, I told you already that I have always been proud of you. I am and always will be. I did and will again apologize for causing you this unnecessary pain, I can see you are tortured. Though that was no excuse for what you did to her, I have already forgiven you. As for my love, you've always had and will have that, Trunks. You must let your hate go, however hard that may be for you. Once you do that, you will rest in peace." That was not as hard as he'd thought it would be to say. For some reason, he looked back to Tiru, her eyes were open and she smiled at him, a smile like the one she greeted him good morning. Her smile made him feel somewhat less awkward and a great deal better.  
  
"Thank you, father. It won't be hard to let go now. Not as hard as I thought it would be, anyway. You can go home now," he said softly yet still looking slightly sad, " and don't forget Tiru, you might have to leave an arm." he had added the last part in good humor and smiled. At the moment he did so, his hair returned to periwinkle and his eyes became their normal blue.  
  
Yet again, Goku piped up, seemingly out of the blue.  
  
"I wondered how long it was going to take the two of you to work this out. I never had these kind of problems with my kids, thank goodness. I'm glad this's over, one more day here would driven anyone insane." he commented matter-of-factly. Vegeta threw a look his way. Laughing and walking out, he replied, "Shut up, Kakkorot! Go back to the Otherworld, your two sons are probably already they're waiting. I'm glad I only have one."  
  
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When Vegeta neared the end of the gravelly path where he started, he abruptly blacked out. For awhile he slept a dark sleep that held him unaware. Gradually, his awareness grew and he heard the sound of a raging thunderstorm.  
  
As he stirred and grew more awake he began to realize that Tiru had been right and he had been sleeping. He nearly jumped up in a state of daze when he thought about her; only to realize that she was asleep in his arms. She still had the bruises and welts, but she was peacefully sleeping, content to be there with him. He grinned to himself. He was very glad that she was there. If she was immortal, he was going to have to do something about his mortality. He began to fantasize about all the new heights of power and levels of saiyan he could discover if he lived forever. So, he had only one choice: to collect all seven Dragonballs and wish for eternal life. When Tiru awoke, she probably smile at him and give him a hug and she might even start to cry.  
  
Despite not wanting to wake her and his current train of thought, he said out loud, "If you start to cry, I 'll have to hurt you." he laughed. He wouldn't actually hurt her, but he felt like laughing.  
  
THE  
  
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*** Wasn't that an interesting piece? I certainly had fun with it. I had considered prolonging it, but, well like the saiyans, I don't have that much patience. This is only an alternate ending to a story that will probably never leave my bedroom. Earlier, I stated the title, "The Key to Freedom" I didn't plan on posting that one, but if any Vegeta fans would like to read it, let me know and I'll see what I can do. But, I forewarn you, I am in not love with Vegeta... well, it's more of an obsession with his character really, c'mon, I know he's only an anime/manga. I am in the process of posting several other stories. Some are fan-fics and some aren't. If you want any further explanations, just mail me. Much luv  
  
R. Rosethorn-***  
  
  
  
** I must make the comment that I found it necessary to add Tiru because I felt that it was the best way to bring out the angst within Trunks, which I pretty much based most of this little excerpt on. So I realize that I made her up! I'm sorry if you don't like Mary-sues, but I think they are an expression of creativity and I refuse to stop if I think they are necessary.*** 


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